Charleigh’s wheelchair accessible vehicle

Anyone who has ever met Charleigh has been directly impacted by her animated smile, her generous heart, and her contagious laugh. Anyone who has ever met her parents, knows that they would do anything for their little girl. I have had the distinct privilege of knowing them personally, for a very long time, even before Charleigh was born. In fact, I have known her dad Justin, since we were in diapers, and have seen firsthand the challenges and struggles that they face by having a child with special needs.

Charleigh was born with Spina Bifida; which in her particular case, means that Charleigh is unable to use her legs. Among her other medical issues, she is effectively paralyzed from about her belly button down. This makes it so that she lives most of her life in a wheelchair and requires the utmost assistance in order to get into and out of her chair at any given time. As Charleigh gets older, she gets heavier, longer, and harder to carry; and as of right now, she is nearly the same height as her mom already! This means that the Garrett’s are now in a place where expenses related to providing the safest and most equitable environment for Charleigh are popping up left and right. Currently, Justin and Nickie are continuing to lift their 10-year-old, 80 lb. child into and out of there vehicles’ seats on a daily basis. This poses a significant safety risk to not only Charleigh, but to her parents as well. They are now at a place where they simply cannot continue to lift Charleigh in and out of their vehicles multiple times per day and are in desperate need of a wheelchair accessible vehicle. This would mean that Charleigh would no longer have to get into and out of her wheelchair in order to go to the grocery store, to playdates, or to school; it would mean her parents wouldn’t risk physical injury to themselves or to Charleigh each time they wanted to take their daughter out of the house. Charleigh could remain in her wheelchair and just roll into their accessible vehicle and buckle her wheelchair in. Having the means to get a wheelchair accessible vehicle would make life more equitable for Charleigh, and for her family. Every child should be able to go to the movies or a playdate safely and easily.

I am asking, that if you have a heart for this child and her family, if you can appreciate that this mindless task, we each do several times a day; getting in and out of the car; is a huge hurdle for this family, consider donating, or sharing this go fund me link. Please help this family afford to get a handicap accessible vehicle. The average cost of a wheelchair vehicle can be anywhere upwards of 70,000 dollars; which isn't pocket change for most; especially while also raising their other children.

This family does everything they can to ensure their daughter’s wellbeing. They're the kind of people who go out of their way to make sure their daughter’s needs are met, and that she gets to experience the same kind of childhood that able bodied children also get to experience. The kind of people who have never once let Charleigh’s handicap, handicap her life; and they're not about to start now. Having a wheelchair van will allow these incredible people to keep doing incredible things and giving Charleigh the life, she deserves.